The Central Message of the Gospel of John — Believe in Jesus Christ and Receive Eternal Life
The Central Message of the Gospel of John — Believe in Jesus Christ and Receive Eternal Life
Remission of Sins, Salvation, and Key Verses in the Gospel of John — Explored through Rev. Paul C. Jong’s Exposition of the Gospel of John
The Gospel of John was written so that we may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God — the Savior who took the sins of the world upon Himself through His baptism and was judged for them on the Cross — and that believing, we may have life in His name.
Of all the sixty-six books of the Bible, few deal with “faith” and “eternal life” as directly as the Gospel of John. Yet many people who have read John’s Gospel again and again still find it hard to answer one question: “So what kind of faith must I have to be saved?”
What follows is taken from “John seen from the perspective of the gospel of the water and the Spirit” by Rev. Paul C. Jong, a servant of God at The New Life Mission. Walking through the purpose for which John’s Gospel was written, its central theme, and its key verses one by one, the author shows that this entire Gospel was written to lead us, through faith, to become God’s people without sin. That faith is in one Person, Jesus Christ — the Savior who was baptized by John the Baptist and took upon Himself the sins of the world, who bore the judgment for those sins on the Cross, and who rose from the dead. The passage below is taken from the book.
John seen from the perspective of the gospel of the water and the Spirit (I)–(IV) by Rev. Paul C. Jong
What Is the Main Purpose of the Gospel of John?
The purpose of John’s Gospel is to lead people to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, so that those who believe may have life in His name.
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31)
John did not write down everything Jesus did. Instead, he selected the signs and words that reveal Jesus’ divinity and His work of salvation. The signs are not there to make much of the miracles themselves; they point to who Jesus is. And the words lead readers to believe through the written testimony, even though they have never seen Jesus with their own eyes.
The Jesus to whom John testifies is the Savior who was baptized by John the Baptist and took upon Himself the sins of the world, who carried those sins to the Cross and was judged there, and who rose from the dead. To read the Gospel of John rightly, then, is not merely to acknowledge Jesus’ power. It is to believe in the salvation He accomplished and so receive the remission of sins and eternal life.
© 2026 Elizabeth. All rights reserved.
What Is the Central Theme and Message of John’s Gospel?
The central theme of John’s Gospel is receiving the remission of sins and eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who came in the flesh. John declares that Jesus is not merely a teacher or a prophet, but the Word who was with God in the beginning and who was God (John 1:1). This Word created all things, is the source of life and light, and became flesh and came among people (John 1:3–4, 14).
Jesus’ divinity and His incarnation cannot be separated from His work of salvation. Jesus, the Son of God, appeared as the Lamb of God who took upon Himself the sins of the world through the baptism He received from John the Baptist (John 1:29–34). On the Cross He declared, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), and by rising from the dead He revealed that He is the Lord of life. Whoever believes this gospel passes from condemnation into life and becomes a child of God.
Running through the whole of John’s Gospel are the interwoven themes of the Word, life, light, faith, glory, truth, love, and testimony. And at the center of them all, always, is Jesus Christ. To know Jesus is to know God; to believe in Jesus is the way to eternal life; and to abide in Jesus is the source of a fruitful life.
What Is the Key Verse of the Gospel of John?
If the whole Gospel of John were summed up in a single verse, the key verse would be John 20:31.
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:31)
The verse just before it says that Jesus did many other signs that are not written in this book (John 20:30). So John 20:31 is not simply a closing remark. It is the key to interpreting the entire Gospel, because it tells us what John chose to record out of countless events, and why. From the sign at Cana to Thomas’s confession of faith, every sign, every word, every conversation, and the testimony of the Cross and the Resurrection has one purpose: to reveal who Jesus is so that we may believe.
This verse shows the content of faith, the means through which faith comes, and the result of faith, all at once. The content of faith is that Jesus is the Son of God and the Christ. Here, “the Son of God” means that Jesus, as the Son, is Himself God, and “the Christ” means that He is the King and Savior sent to save sinners. The Christ to whom John testifies is Jesus, who came in the flesh, took upon Himself the sins of the world through the baptism He received from John the Baptist, was judged on the Cross, and rose from the dead.
The means through which faith comes are the written Word and testimony.
Instead of stopping at wanting to see with our own eyes, as Thomas did, we accept the written Word and believe in Jesus as “my Lord and my God.” The result is the life we receive through the name of Jesus. This life does not simply mean blessings in this present world. It is the new life that those who have received the remission of sins obtain by being united with the Lord; it is eternal life and the life of the final resurrection.
The verse that most clearly shows the heart of God and His saving action behind this purpose is John 3:16.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
God’s love did not remain a vague feeling or mere words. God loved the world that was perishing in sin, and He actually gave His only begotten Son; and that Son saved sinners through His baptism, His Cross, and His resurrection. The next verse, verse 17, also makes clear that God sent His Son not to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Therefore, whoever believes in Jesus is rescued from perishing and receives eternal life, but whoever does not believe remains under condemnation, having rejected the light and salvation that have already come.
If John 20:31 answers the question “Why did John write this Gospel?”, then John 3:16 answers the question “Why did God send His only begotten Son?” The two verses are joined as one. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son; John testified that this only begotten Son, Jesus, is the Christ, the Son of God; and whoever believes that testimony does not perish but receives eternal life through the name of Jesus. So the central key verse of John’s Gospel is John 20:31, and the verse that most concisely shows God’s saving love is John 3:16.
About This Book and Its Author
“John seen from the perspective of the gospel of the water and the Spirit (I)–(IV)” is an expository series that follows the Gospel of John chapter by chapter and bears witness to the one thing every sign and every word points to: the salvation Jesus accomplished through the baptism He received from John the Baptist (the water) and the blood He shed on the Cross. As you can see above, whatever passage he is reading, the author guides the reader to one question: “Who is Jesus, and how did He take away my sins?”
If you have ever wondered what it means to be born again, or where the assurance of the remission of sins comes from, we invite you to open this book alongside the Gospel of John. Just as John wrote — “that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:31) — every reader will come to that life.
Start Reading John (I) — Free
All four volumes are available free of charge as ebooks and audiobooks. Volume (I) begins with John chapters 1 to 5 — the Word made flesh, the testimony of John the Baptist, and what it means to be born again.
Download the free English ebook and audiobook of John (I) →Discover the Truth of the Gospel — Completely Free
The New Life Mission provides Rev. Paul C. Jong’s books free of charge as ebooks and audiobooks on its official website, so that people all over the world may know and believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit and receive the remission of their sins.
Read them, listen to them, and share them with the people you love.
Explore more free Christian books in many languages (The New Life Mission) →
※ However, sharing via links for personal use is allowed.
Comments
Post a Comment